Circuit-control device



Aug. 12, 1924.

- 1,504,284 v. P. TAYLOR CIRCUIT CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 53, 1919 A TTORIIEYS Patented Aug". 12, 1924,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR PEREZ TAYLOR, OF lvlIEXICO, MEXICO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES JELLINEK, 033 NEW YORK, N. Y.

CIRCUIT-CONTROL nnvrcn.

Application filed. llov'ember 3, 1919. SeriatNo. 335,282.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR PEREZ TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Mexico city, in the Federal District and State of Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Control Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a circuit control device of the type which can be installed in the house lighting system for controlling the amount of current supplied to the premise.

In some country districts it is the practice at present to supply electric current under contract conditioned that only so much current shall be consumed during any one unit of time. F or instance, the contract may recite that only a certain number of lamps should be used at any one time on the lighting system.

Under such conditions of service it is also desirable that the power company should have control over certain circuits at a distance from the main control station. For instance, it may be desired to have a cer tain number of lights available during certain parts of the day or evening and that, at certain times, the number of lights available should be increased or decreased at the will of the operator at the main control station or differently expressed certain lights might be wired into two separate circuits.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple and economically constructed form of control device which can be installed in a house or other available point of take-off from the main line, which will positively and quickly interrupt the current flow to the supplied line whenever an abnormal load is interposed in the supplied line and which by the successive interruptions of the current supply to the main line, will permit the open ator at the main control station to make or break the supply to certain circuits at a distance from the main supply station. p

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawlugs and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings:- The figure is a diagrammatic view of the electric elements constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention and showing, in spread out position, the several electric connections with the different elements of the device. I

In the drawings there isshow'n a source of current supply hereinafter designated as [a main line 10 includingmainl'eads 11 and 12, which lead respectively to binding posts 13 and 1% on the side of a mechanism containing box 15. A supplied line 16, hereinafter for the purpose of identification referred to as the lamp line. includes leads 17 and 18 leading respectively from binding posts 19 and 20 on the side of the box 15. The lamp line includes current supplied devices 21, herein shown to be lamps, and for the purpose of this disclosure it is assumed that the control device is set to permit the use of three lamps and which will automatically break the current when a fourth lamp such as is shown at 22 is additionally introduced into the supplied line. The current supply through the main line is controlled by a switrh :43 usually disposed at the power house or other main control station.

Referring first to the particular part of the control device which automatically disconnccts the main line from the lamp line when an extra lamp is disposed in the lamp line, it is noted that there is disposed in the box an electrothermostat 24 having one end connected to the binding post 20 by the electric conductor25. The current through the electro-thermost at is controlled by a normally closed circuit closer 26 operatively associated with the thermostat so that when an additional lamp is imposed in the lamp line the heating of the thermostat will cause the circuit closer 26 to open and-thus interrupt the current flow through the therm0 stat and through the low resistance windings 2'? of an electromagnet 28. This circuit which includes the conductor 25, thermostat circuit closer 26, low resistance windings 2? will be identified hereinafter as the thermostatcircuit, and continues from the op posite end of the lowresistance windings 27 through nIl'I fl-Hy tllosed closer 29',

ill)

through a conductor and commutator element 5i l'iereinai ter described to the binding post 13.

From the other binding post ll current is led through a conductor 32, through another commutator element 33, conductor 3 L to the binding post 19. The circuit thus traced out *ill normally be the current path when the switch is closed and the authorized number of lamps are in the lamp line. The electromagnet 28 has a relatively high resistance winding which is connected at one end to the conductor 30 and is connected at its opposite end to the conductor 25, so that this high resistance winding is shunted across the circuit closers 26, 29, and electrothermostat 24. This arrangement is such that when the current flow in the main circuit is broken at the circuit closer 26,the current will flow through the shunted circuit, energizing the electromagnet 28 suhicientlvto cause an armature carrying the circuit closer 29 to act against the compression of the spring 36 which normally holds the circuit closer 29 in closed position. The energized electromagnet 28 will move this circuit closer into open position, thus .entirely breaking the current through the low resistance wind ing oi. the electromagnet. The high resistance thus interposed in the lamp line is such. as to dim or entirely extinguish the lights. Following the breaking of the circuit at the closer 26, the thermostat 524 will become cooled and react to close the circuit closer 26, but the circuit closer 29 will be maintained in open position as long as abnormal current is present in the lamp line.

1 "ring particularly to the elements of the 7 ice which go to make up the control for iuterruptiiiig th current to the supplied line, there is coupled into the parts herein he'lore described two other circuits, one of which will hereinafter be identified as a solenoid circuit. This solenoid circuit is bridged. across the main line and includes a conductor which leads from the binding post 13 to the windings 37 of an electromagnet 38, hereinaltter identified as a solenoid,

solely for the purpose of distinguishing this cli elewomagnet "from the electromagnet 28 l rom the electrom lg let 48, hereinafter aim described, The opposite end of the windin s leads by means of a conductor 39 ha h to the conductor 32 and thence to the binding post 14. The electromagnet 38 is for the purpose of controlling a normally closed circuit breaker l0 and the parts are so arranged that the passage of current through the windings 37 will act on the circuit breaker 4-0 for the purpose of interrupting tl e current flow through the other circuit herein identified as the electro-motor circuit.

The electro-motor circuit includes in order a conductor d1 connected to the conductor 86, the circuit breaker alO, windings l2 of an electromagnet, hereinafter identified as an elcctro-motor, and conductor 39 which leads back to the binding post let as hercinbeiore described. The electro-motor 43 includes a reciprocating core H: connected by a suitable cneway pawl and ratchet feed 4-.5 ior rotating the commutators 3i and 33 in unison. The core is controlled by a rc'liuri'i spring 46 and the parts are so organized that the current liow through the windii'igs will move the core in a direction to advance the commutators one unit of rotation, that is oneeighth ot' a revolution in the specific device disclosed.

The two con'imutators and 33, as shown in the specific dc ice illustrated, include two alternating connecting parts 47 and 4-8 and two alternating disconnecting parts formed by the four equally spaced apart insulatii'ig strips 4-9, It will be understood that these commutators 31 and 33 are disposed respec tii'ely in the conducting lines 30 and 3d, the connections therewith being provided by means of the brushes 50, as is usual in such constructions In operation, and first starting with the parts in their normal position and with the switch 23 opened, the operator at the main control station throws in the switch and the device then in normal operation.

lracing out the current it will he un flerstood that starting with the binding post 1.3 current passes therefrom in t vo directions, lir through the solenoid shunt circuit incliiui g the conductor 36, windings ot' solenoid 38, conductors 30, 32, back to the binding post 14-. Again, starting from the binding post 13 current flows through the commutator 31, conductor 30, circuit closer 29, low resistance windings 2T, circuit closer 26, eletro-thermostat 24:, conductor 25 to the binding post 20, from which connection is made to the lead 18 of the lamp line. From the binding post 14. current is led through the conductor 32, connnutator 33, conductor 34- to the binding post 19 and thence to the other lead 17 of the lamp line. At the instant that the circuits are thus completed, the circuit breaker is closed and there fore current passes momentarily Lhrougl'i the electro-motor circuit which includes the conductor 41, circuit breaker 4-0, electro-motor windings conductors 39 and 32 back to the binding post 14:. The energizing ot the electro-motor will cause the pawl and ratchet feed to advance the comnuitators with the currents interrupted through the commutators into a pcsiion in which current is pen mitted to flow through the commutators and in this way the circuits are completed to the lamp line as is hereinbetore described. It will be appreciated, however, that by this time the electrom net 38 has been fully energized and begins to act on the circuit li o .tfors into their current passage breaker 410 to move the same into open position. The opening of the circuit ln'ealter d0 interrupted the current flow through the electro-n'iotor but by this time the motor has alreaoy functioned to shift the comm l ermitting positions. in the normal operation of the machine therefore, the electro-motor is inoperative and does not again shirt the commutators until the current from the main line has broken and is again completed as hereinbefore described.

Should an extra lamp 22 be introduced into the lamp line the current flow through the low resistance windings 27 will be interrupted by the action of the thermostat and current will be interrupted to the lamp line by the interposition of the high resistance 35, as hereinbetore described.

In order to reset the device and take the overload out of the system the connection With the lamp line is broken as by opening the switch 51 in the lamp line and the current flow .Wlll then be interrupted through the electromagnet 28 and the circuit closer 29'will'automatically close under the action of its spring 36.

In order to cut out the lamp line disclosed the operator at the main circuit momentarily opens the main switch 23 which thus dcn'iagnetizes the solenoid 38 and permits the circuit breaker 4:0 to move under tension of spring 40 into its circuit closing position. When the circuit is again completed through the control device the momentarily energizing of the electromotor 43 will cause the same to act on the commutators moving the same from their circuit making into the circuit breaking positions with the brushes in contact with the insulating strips .9. This will break the main circuit to the lamp line and throw this line out of commission. As this electro-motor is a quick acting electromagnet the interruption to the main current is only momentary (a fraction of a second) and overcomes any objection that the power companies may have to interrupting the continuity of the current supply.

By means of a device of this character the power companies have an accurate control over the maximum load which may be expected to be imposed on the supplied line and their attention is promptly directed to any accidental or intentional overloading of this line by the readings on the power house meters.

This disclosure features the simplicity or" the device disclosed, consisting mainly of simple electromagnets and is substant'ally "tree of movable parts and entirely free of parts which require any refined machining or accurately interfitting 0t co-operating parts.

"Having thus described my invention. it claiifi: i

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main electric circuit including a lamp lead. a. normally closed thermcstatically actuated circuit closer, an elec tip-thermostat operatively connected to said circuit closer to open the same and thus break the current when an additional amp is introduced into the lamp lead, an electromagnet having a high resistance and having a low resistance winding with the low resistance winding in said main circuit, normah ly closed circuit closer adapted to be ed by the passage oi current through sai-ri high resistance windings, and a main lead. a shunt circuit from said main lead le .v'ng through said high resistance windings and thereitrom around said thermostat circuit closer and said electrothermostat to the, lamp lead whereby abnormal current in the lamp lead will cause said electro-thermostat to break the circuit through the low resistance wine ings and cause the current to pass through the high resistance windings.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main electric circui. including a lamp lead, a normally closed therniostatically actuated circuit closer, an electro-thermostat operatively connected to said circuit clos to open the same and thus break the current when an additional lamp is introduced into the lamp lead, an electromagnet having a high resistance and ha a low resistance winding with the low resistance winding in said main circuit, a normally closed circuit closer adapted to be opened by the passa i e of current tbro said high resistance windings an electromagneticully actuated step-by-step conum'itator and a main lead, a shunt circuit tron: the portion of the main circuit between the commutator and the last named normally closed circuit close-r leading through said high resistance windings. and shunting said thermostat c rcuit closer and said electro-thermos at to the lamp lead whereby abnormal current n the lamp lead will ca se said electro-thermostat to break the circuit through the low resistance windings and cause the current to p through the high resistance winding electroma gneti c ally actuated means controlled by the first impulse of current through said main circuit for actuating said commutator and mechanism controlled by said stepbystep commutator.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of main electric circuit including a lamp lead, a normally closed thermostatically actuated circrit closer, an electro-thermostat operatively connected to said circuit closer to open the same and thus br ah the current when an additional lamn is introduced into the lamp lead, an electomagnet having a high resistance and having a low resistance winding with the low resistance winding in said main circuit, a normal- &

1y closed circuit closer adapted to be opened by the passage of current through said high resistance windings, an electro-magnetically actuated step-by-step commutator and a main lead, a shunt circuit from the portion of the main circuit between the commutator and the last named normally closed circuit closer and leading through said high resistance windings and by passes therefrom around said thermostat circuit closer and said electro-thermostat to the lamp lead whereby abnormal current in the lamp lead will cause said electro-thermostat to break the circuit through the low resistance windings and cause the current to pass through the high resistance windings, a solenoid circuit bridged across the main line leading from one of the main leads back to the other main lead and including a circuit breaker controlling solenoid, an electro-motor circuit shunted from said solenoid circuit about said solenoid and including an electro-motor operatively connected to said step-by-step commutator to actuate the same and a normally closed circuit breaker moved to be held in its circuit-breaking position by the energizing of said solenoid.

4;. In a device of the class described, the combination of an electric circuit including in order a lamp line, a commutator for making and breaking the circuit and a main line, a solenoid shunted across the main line, an electro-motor circuit shunted across the main line and including an electro-motor operatively connected to said commutator to actuate the same and a circuit breaker for controlling the passage of the current through the electro-mot-or, said circuit breaker being controlled by the solenoid whereby the energizing oi the solenoid moves the circuit breaker into open position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an electric circuit including in order a lamp line, means controlled by an overload on the lamp line for intercepting the current through the electric circuit, a commutator for making and breaking the circuit and a. main line, a solenoid slrunted across the main line, an electro-motor circuit shunted across the main line, and in cluding an electro-motor operatively con nected to said commutator to actuate the same and a circuit breaker for controlling the passage of the current through the electro-motor, said circuit breaker being controlled by the solenoid whereby the energizing of the solenoid moves the circuit breaker into open position.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an electric circuit including in order a lamp line, electromagnetically actuated means in series with said lamp line for intercepting the current to said lamp line when an abnormal resistance is introduced into the lamp line, a commutator for making and breaking the circuit and a main line, a solenoid shunted across the main line, an electro-motor circuit shunted across the main line and including an electro-motor ope 'atively connected to said commutator to actuate the same and a circuit breaker for controlling the passage of the current through the electro-motor, said circuit breaker being controlled by the: solenoid whereby the energizing of the solenoid moves the circuit breaker into open position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main circuit including a commutator, for making and breaking'the current flow in the main circuit, an electromotor circuit shunted across said main circuit and including an electro-niotor operative-ly associated with said connnutator to successively make and break the main circuit at each succeeding actuation of the electro-motor, and a circuit breaker "for con trolling said electromotor circuit, a solenoid circuit including solenoid operatively as sociated with said electro-motor-circuit breaker to move the same into its open position when the solenoid is energized.

8 In a device of the class described, the combination of a main circuit including a commutator for making and breaking the current flow inthe main circuit, an electromotor circuit shunted across said main. circuitand including an electro-motor operatively associated with said connnutator to successively make and break the main circuit at each succeeding actuation of the electro-motor, a circuit breaker for controlling said elect-ro-motor circuit, a solenoid circuit including a solenoid operatively associated with said. electro-niotor-circnit breaker to move the same into its open position when the solenoid is energized and means acting on said electro-motor-circuit breaker for restoring the same auton'iatically to its circuit closing position when tree of the influence of said solenoid.

9. In a device of the class described, the. combination of a main circuit including a commutator for making and breaking the current flow in the main circuit, an electromotor circuit shunted across said main circuit and including an electro-motor operatively associated with said commutator to successively make and break the main circuit at each succeeding actuation of the elec tro-motor, a circuit breaker for controlling said electro-motor circuit, a solenoid circuit including a solenoid operatively associated with said electro-motor-circuit breaker to move the same into its open position when the solenoid is energized, means acting on said electro-motor-circuit breaker for restoring the same automatically to its circuit closing position when free of the influence of said solenoid and a control in said main circuit for interrupting the current flow thereby to permit said circuit breaker to close and thus cause the commutator to function.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a lamp line, main line and an electro-magnetically actuated current control disposed between the main line and the lamp line, said control including electrically actuated mechanism, operatively responsive to an overload in the lamp line and 10 to an interruption in the current flow in the main line to interrupt the continuity of current flow from the main to the lamp line.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 5 28th day of Got. A. D. 1919,

VICTOR PEREZ TAYLOR. 

